Anina transforms ugly veg into artistic ready meal

Food tech start-up Anina Culinary Art is reshaping the future of ready meals by merging art with technology through a culinary experience of meals from upcycled vegetables. Each whole “meal-in-a-pod” is all natural, loaded with nutrients, and made from so-called “ugly” vegetables.

Two industrial design students, Esti Brantz and Meydan Levy, were concerned by the huge amounts of “perfectly good” fresh produce that typically gets tossed in the trash due to cosmetic reasons such as size, shape, colour differences, or similar perceived imperfections.

Living across from a bustling farmers market located in the heart of Jerusalem, surrounded by fresh produce and herbs carrying exotic flavours and aromas, the duo sought a solution to the food waste challenge. They acquired leftover vegetables at the market and spent two years testing various techniques before settling on one that worked best to preserve the components of a heat-and-eat meal. This led to the design of an entirely new food concept.

The Anina pod is a complete meal made from vegetables that have been rejected for sale due to a less-than-perfect appearance. The new, convenient, ready to cook format is a single-size portion that allows for a quick and nutritious meal in just a few minutes. It can be cooked on a stovetop or in a microwave. Each disc-shaped container holds two full cups of vegetables — 40% of an adult’s daily nutritional requirements — and is ideal for consumers seeking a fast nutritious meal. Watch the video here

The Anina range was launched in Israel with three recipes:

● Pasta Primavera — vegetables, Italian herbs, and pasta

● Mediterranean bowl — vegetables, bulgur wheat, and black lentils

● Vietnamese bowl — rice noodles and vegetables

Each Anina pod provides a plant-based meal replete with protein, high in fibre, and free from colorants or preservatives. The products are currently available online, at premium and boutique bakeries, and at co-working spaces outlets.

The technology is patented, from the food-grade lamination process to the pod structure. The technology forms flexible sheets from fresh vegetables .

“We produce these vegetable sheets with minimal processing, preserving the flavours, aromas, colours, and textures of the original vegetable,” said Mor Wilk, VP of R&D for Anina. “The heart of our technology is the creation of the layers. “The heart of our technology is the creation of vegetable sheets. The flexibility of these sheets enables us to form any 3D structure and create any recipe in a decorative pod, each set to its unique controlled cooking time.”

The container’s outer shell is made from a layer of dried vegetables or fruits, while the inner core contains a range of natural ingredients. The ingredients, of course, vary according to each recipe.

“Anina is making a real impact on the food industry by mitigating food waste and turning it into innovative, plant-based products with an exciting look and feel,” avers Anat Natan, Anina’s co-founder and CEO. “The result is a balanced, delicious meal with all the nutrients you need. Anina is responding to a growing demand for making the most of unwanted veggies, and turning them into something artistic that appeals to the eye and palette. Following the successful product launch in Israel and the positive feedback we received from American millennials, we are set to bring our products to the US.”

“We’re changing the way we eat,” added Natan. “And we’re shaping the future for a meaningful culinary consumer experience. The ANINA meal capsule also addresses today’s fast-paced lifestyle, which too often forces consumers to compromise on the quality of the food they eat.

Anina was founded in June 2020 by Anat Natan, Meydan Levy, and Esti Brantz. Natan, the CEO, brings more than 20 years of experience in marketing and business management for CPG companies such as Nestlè and Tnuva. Natan has an MBA, specialising in marketing and business enterprise, a BA in economics and communication from Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Israel, and graduated from culinary school.

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